Sudan summons its ambassador to Qatar

June 1, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan has summoned its ambassador to Qatar back home after the closure of the Doha based Al Jazeera TV, the foreign ministry said on Saturday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to announce that the Ambassador of Sudan to Qatar, Ambassador Fath Rahman Ali Mohamed, has been summoned to Khartoum for consultation,”

He “will leave (Khartoum) for Doha to be at the head of his work in the coming hours,” further said the statement.

The summon comes hours after the closure of the office of Al Jazeera TV in Khartoum.

Summoning an ambassador to his country is a strong symbolic diplomatic measure to protest against statements or acts done by the host country.

However, the TMC did not explain why it recalled the ambassador.

Lolwah Alkhater, Spokesperson of Qatar’s Foreign Ministry hours before the Sudanese statement denied reports that Ambassador Mohamed Ali was summoned.

“The Ambassador of the Republic of Sudan had sent a memorandum to the Qatari Foreign Ministry, as usual, saying he would be on a short leave and had set a date for his return”.

The leaders of the military council seem more inclined to develop relations with Qatar’s foes in the region, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab United Emirates.

(ST)